Outside Snake Coil Valley, there's a small town originally named Snake Coil Town, but mercenaries prefer to call it Hope Town. It's named so because after emerging alive from the Abyss of Despair, seeing this town perched on a hillside signifies a true escape from danger.
Many mercenaries flock here to harvest Red Fire Ant eggs, which are worth a gold coin each, making it a prime spot for gold-digging. Normally, even large mercenary groups wouldn't dare confront swarms of Red Fire Ants over five meters long, but this season is an exception.
During these two months, countless female ants leave to establish new colonies, providing a window to steal eggs unguarded by the ants. Still, the task is perilous as the surrounding ravines are teeming with Red Fire Ants, making it a deadly gamble for money.
"The maps cost two gold coins each. Please don't complain; they were bought at the cost of many explorers' lives. Half of the proceeds go to their families as compensation," explained the elderly man selling maps at the Warrior's Guild, pointing out several deadly areas in the Abyss of Despair.
The Abyss is a vast east-west ravine stretching over 600 kilometers. Its widest part spans 120 kilometers, with gaps up to 50 kilometers and depths exceeding ten kilometers in places. The terrain is treacherous, with numerous sheer cliffs and peaks, and most parts are shrouded in darkness year-round. The heart of the ravine remains an unexplored death zone.
The map highlights six areas to avoid: Blackwater Lake of the Abyss, Flame Mountain, Bone-Crushing Bridge, Wind Sand Canyon, Cloud Peak Lake, and the Death Center. Except for the Death Center, the other five are spread along the outer edges of the Abyss.
The Starlight Azure Grass they need to harvest is near Cloud Peak Lake, growing on high cliffs that require scaling treacherous peaks over 3,000 meters tall.
"Yehken, any news?" Eddie asked, as Yehken returned from the Thief's Guild.
"Inan left a message at the Thief's Guild. He'll join us in a few days. Laura, the Lord of Falling Flower City, will arrive in half a month to help us harvest the Starlight Azure Grass.
She suggests we familiarize ourselves with the terrain first," Yehken reported, bringing news that made Eddie slightly uneasy. Having both Laura and Inan around might complicate things.
"We'll explore first. This place is very dangerous; it's better to have someone experienced like Laura to help us," Sophia suggested, aware of the difficulty in harvesting the rare herb.
Eddie agreed, preferring not to involve Sophia, Yehken, or Haye Yew in the actual harvesting task.
Heading towards the Abyss of Despair, Eddie looked around but didn't spot the mysterious book-loving female thief. Despite seeing mercenaries both ahead and behind them, her absence was noticeable.
Descending the narrow cliffside path, winding downwards for dozens of meters at a time, was a chilling experience. Looking down at the valley, the mercenaries below seemed tinier than ants. Even Yehken, usually fearless, felt a tingling in his scalp at the thought of falling.
The most daunting aspect was the fierce mountain winds, howling and sometimes almost lifting them off their feet. Even Haye Yew, with his hefty three-hundred-pound frame, had to cling to crevices in the cliff to avoid being swept away by the wind. In contrast, Eddie, the calmest in the group, remained unflustered, his mastery of nature's heart rendering such winds trivial.
Sophia clung to Eddie's clothes, following closely behind him. Whenever a gust of wind blew, Eddie would hold her hand to ensure she wasn't blown away.
Occasionally, they saw large spiders, mountain goats, or massive lizards blown into the air, some crashing against the cliffside, turning into bloody mush. If the wind suddenly weakened, the animals would plummet down with a heavy thud. It was common to see goats still alive mid-air, bleating in panic.
As they approached the Abyss of Despair, Eddie looked around, not spotting the mysterious female thief. Traversing the narrow, vertiginous cliff path was a harrowing experience. The sight of a mercenary slipping and being whisked away by the wind into the abyss, disappearing in an instant with echoing screams, was chilling.
"Don't be scared, it's okay!" Eddie quickly comforted Sophia, who shook her head bravely. "I'm not scared!"
"I am, comfort me too!" Haye Yew pleaded, looking terrified.
"Shut up!" Yehken couldn't stand him but knew this wasn't the place for a scuffle.
"If you don't want to die, pay attention and keep up!" bellowed a burly mercenary leader, apparently the superior of the fallen mercenary. His stern warning resonated with the group.
After a grueling two-hour trek along the winding cliffside path, they reached the valley camp in complete darkness, the final stretch navigated by torchlight.
Settling down on rocks, the mercenaries at the camp mocked Haye Yew, "Rookie, welcome to the Abyss of Despair. Brought your whole house, huh? Forgot your nanny?"
"Ahh, how will I survive without milk?" another skinny mercenary jeered in a shrill voice, triggering laughter from the group.
"...," Haye Yew's eyes flashed with anger, but he quickly lowered his head.
"Laughing at others? Watch your back..." Eddie suddenly interjected coldly.
"What did you say?" The skinny mercenary, enraged, slammed his roasted meat on the ground and drew a dagger.
"Just advising you to be careful," Eddie shrugged nonchalantly.
"Looks like I need to teach you a lesson, rookie," the skinny mercenary sneered, approaching Eddie. Suddenly, a shadow darted out of the darkness, attacking the mercenary and quickly dragging him back into the shadows. The group, startled, shouted in alarm, dropping their food and drawing their weapons, rushing into the darkness with torches ablaze.
After the mercenaries pursued into the darkness, they returned empty-handed, the creature that attacked the skinny mercenary and its prey having vanished without a trace.
An irate bald mercenary leader confronted Eddie, accusing him of causing his comrade's death by not alerting them to the Ghost Shadow Rock Spider's presence. Eddie calmly responded, pointing out that he had warned them, but his words were ignored. He emphasized his resolve to protect his own companions and suggested he would take matters into his own hands if such disrespect continued.
The bald leader argued that they should have helped each other as humans in a dangerous situation, showing frustration and guilt. Eddie countered, highlighting the irony in his words, given that they had not offered help earlier when the skinny mercenary threatened him.
Suddenly, Grey Tail Wolf emerged from the darkness, carrying the injured skinny mercenary in its jaws. The mercenaries were stunned by the wolf's intimidating presence and its ability to catch up with the Ghost Shadow Rock Spider, which they had failed to track.
The bald leader was shocked and speechless, realizing Eddie had indeed tried to help despite the earlier conflict.
Staring at the Silver Level 4 Double-headed Demon Wolf, even the experienced bald leader couldn't help but swallow nervously. Rushing to his injured comrade, he urgently called for poison antidotes.
Eddie, with Sophia by his side, turned to leave.
"I'm the leader; how can I let others fight for me... Eddie, listen to me, I'll never be a burden to you again. I'll be a worthy leader, no more running away or backing down, ever! Did you hear me? Forever!" Haye Yew, like a wounded beast, shouted after Eddie's retreating figure.
"Even if you're not qualified now, after special training, you'll be a qualified leader. I believe in your potential!" Eddie turned back with a smile.
"Damn it, don't say I'm not qualified! Just a bit of training..." Haye Yew's tears rolled down his face.
Yehken approached, patting the trembling Haye Yew on the shoulder without saying a word. Lyqeen and Lyken also patted him, then followed after Eddie.
The bald leader, having just saved the skinny mercenary, watched Eddie's figure disappear into the darkness, murmuring to himself, "Eddie, a scion of the Yew family? The same one from the legends, the so-called weakling? My God, someone like him... we were all blind, no, the whole world was blind... This lesson, both humbling and inspiring, will stay with me forever."